


mysteries

by atonalremix



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Inspired By Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 07:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13118865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atonalremix/pseuds/atonalremix
Summary: A chance meeting between Akechi and Haru at a book store signing, of all places, gives Akechi an even bigger mystery to solve - and he's not sure he likes it one bit.





	mysteries

The absolute last thing Goro wanted to attend was a mystery book signing. He was a real detective. Not some fake, fictional one that only lived in people's imaginations (and their strange Internet fandoms). 

"It'll be fun, Akechi-san," his producer had insisted upon dropping him off at the train station and handing over directions for the bookstore. "You'll get to meet some well-known authors and broaden your horizons. Maybe even get a cameo in their next novel?"

His producer was a big, fat liar. As soon as Goro stepped inside the dense, crowded, Jimbocho-area store, a chill shivered down his spine. Among the 1700+ stores in the region, his producer had to pick the one hosting Keigo Higashino. _The_ Keigo Higashino, the mystery author that had taken the entire nation of Japan by storm. 

As a so-called "detective prince," Goro should've been interested. He should've devoured those novels like Sae-san devoured her hot, bitter cups of coffee - one right after the other, without a single breath to spare. He should've hunkered down and broken in those spines; he should've annotated the pages until they were stained with his copious notes. (His producer wanted to auction those annotated novels for a killing; regrettably, Goro had yet to finish a single one.)

It wasn't his fault. Technically.

Every time he reached for those novels, the Sentai manga called his name. Goro would rather read about heroes who had everything: friends, love, a steady home life, and endless amounts of adventure. Those were far more admirable (and imitable) traits than the detectives solving undecipherable mysteries.

After all, unlike Sherlock and Kusanagi, Goro knew how his mystery - how every mental shutdown - ended.

Unfortunately, the line for Higashino-san was snaking around the entire store and inching towards the front counter. Young adults, middle-aged housewives, and even salarymen were clutching their worn copies of every novel the guy had ever written. The admiration on each and every one of their faces was clear as day. Were this any other time, any other place, and for any of those Super Sentai manga, Goro might've joined them.

(Were it not for his reputation's sake, he doubted he would even be here.)

As he reached into his pocket to text his producer and announce his arrival, he drew a deep breath. It was only a matter of time before one of these strangers recognized him -

"Hello, Akechi-kun," a soft, feminine voice called from beside him. "I should've guessed you'd be here too."

Goro blinked back surprise, glancing up not at some fangirl, but at Haru Okumura, current heir to Okumura Foods. Of the Phantom Thieves, he perhaps knew her the least. Haru's gentle smile and careful posture could hide even the bloodiest of corpses under her pastel-colored sweaters. Goro would know. He'd witnessed her wield that giant axe in Mementos.

She was a mystery of her own, an enigma wrapped in pink and polka-dotted tights. Then again, he couldn’t blame her for keeping nearly everyone at a distance. She’d just inherited a multi-million dollar business, and everyone would be fawning over her for their own personal gain. 

(In another life, he might’ve been one of them.)

"Oh? Am I that predictable, Okumura-san?" He jokes, plastering on a smile and tucking his phone back in his pocket. Given the size of the line, along with the lack of calls from his agent and producer, Goro might get the afternoon off. Might being the keyword.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that," she says with a laugh, stuffing her hands in her pockets. There's an almost effortless manner in her every movement - like she isn't thinking, like she isn't calculating what to say in his presence. He envies her demeanor. Her whole everything, really.

"Then what would you say?"

She tilts her head, her expression growing thoughtful. "That you and mystery books are like Ryuji-kun and manga. Or Yusuke-kun and his paintbrushes - "

"Is that so?" Goro laughs, though he struggles to hide the disgust bubbling up in him.

He isn't like either of those boys, openly enjoying their "childish" interests. Openly talking about them in Mementos and blathering about them like the rest of the team actually cared - and weirdly enough? It seemed like they did.

How or why, Goro would never understand. Shounen heroes and pigmented paints would only get him so far in an ordinary conversation.

"It's not a bad thing," the Okumura girl clarifies, though a reddish blush creeps up on her cheeks. "You solve mysteries. Mystery novels are just more to be solved, you know? Even if they're not real."

She doesn't know the weight of the metaphor she's just offered. She couldn't - the mental shutdowns are still out of her grasp. Goro swallows thickly, blinking back surprise at how easily she had connected him to Sherlock, to Kusanagi, to every famous literary detective ever known.

He couldn't be like them. He wasn't starting from scratch, he lacked their expertise, and more importantly, he was intimately connected to both victim and perpetrator.

(If only she knew what he'd known about the Metaverse. Would she be offering that same olive branch? Would she be standing in front of him with that same admiration?)

"Akechi-kun?" Her voice is softer, gentler as she takes a tentative step forward.

"Oh, um - thank you." He forces himself to laugh, to ignore how his hands and arms are shaking far more than usual. He's not going to break here. Not in front of a giant crowd that cares for an author more than a local detective. "My apologies. That's certainly high praise, Okumura-san. I appreciate the faith you have in me."

"Of course." She brightens, though her gaze falls upon his shaking hands and the crowd behind them. "At this rate, though, we'll never get to see Higashino-san."

The line hasn't moved an inch. If Goro had to guess, they wouldn't meet Higashino-san until around 11 PM, maybe 1 AM at the absolute latest. Hours upon hours, without a solitary glimpse of this legendary author. While Goro didn't mind, Okumura-san surely had some fledgling interest either in meeting the author or signing one of her books. (Why else would she linger here, or even venture down to this part of town without a bodyguard or chauffeur?)

Before he can correct himself and ruin what little admiration she had in him, Goro admits, "Honestly? I'm not sure I want to."

He doesn't belong here. Not with the Thieves, not with the precinct, not even with the fake detectives and their even faker stories. Not that he's keen on voicing that out loud - but mystery novels, in its most basic of forms, bother him. 

"Really?" Haru's shoulders sag with sudden, overwhelming relief. Her eyes even brighten as she whispers, "I thought I was the only one."

Now that was a surprise. Goro stares blankly back at her, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Akira-kun told me about the bookstores here. I'd wanted to go, based on his recommendation, but if I'd known that today would be this crowded, I would've chosen another time." Haru says, pressing a hand lightly against her chest. The confession, it seemed, had been weighing on her shoulders for some time now. "It's such a shame. I wanted to browse their cookbooks and gardening books...."

If it was a cooking and gardening bookstore she was after - and a place without any real crowds - Goro knew of a couple. Sae-san was a wealth of knowledge, especially when it came to literature, and the detectives at the precinct had their own favorite haunts. Without any real interest, Akechi hadn't memorized their locations, but the GPS would solve that little issue. They could navigate the city just fine. 

Besides, his producer had yet to text him back. Knowing the guy, Akechi figured that he just wanted a signed book.

So he glances back at the front counter, then at the Okumura girl.

"Why don't we go somewhere else? I know of a few you might prefer." His smile feels more genuine, now that they're in on a little secret. He pulls out his wallet as he heads to the empty counter, ordering a book to be signed to his producer. (He'll get it in the mail. Probably.) "I was supposed to meet Higashino-san, but I don't think he'll mind if I skip out on him."

She nods, turning towards the door. "If you're sure, lead the way."

 

 

In a place like Book Town, local gems were a dime a dozen. Goro may not frequent these streets, but Sae-san had spent many an afternoon here in law school. She'd pointed out a few, devoted to cooking and gardening and whatever hobbies that caught her interest. His GPS had also recommended a few, and from that myriad list, he had narrowed it down to one particular spot, tucked away at the end of an alley. 

Since Okumura-san was such an avid gardener, he figured that they could step inside Persephone. Named after the goddess of spring, Persephone also held hundreds of cookbooks and tomes regarding proper gardening. Houseplants and succulents even hang from the ceilings. The scent of sweet flowers greeted them long before the sign to the store - in katakana, rather than hirigana or kanji, given its international origins - would.

Okumura-san rushes to the center of the store, her eyes growing wide at its vast selection. "Oh wow. This is incredible."

Goro laughs, more genuinely than usual. "I take it you're a fan?"

"Very much so." She clasps her hands together, glancing over her shoulder at him. Her cheeks are red, but her smile is of unmistakable and genuine delight. "Thank you, Akechi-kun."

He opens his mouth for the usual empty platitude - something along the lines of how he was more than welcome to guide her here - but he finds himself laughing, and folding his arms as he leans against the wall.

"I'm glad. Take all the time you need."

He finds that for the first time in a long while, he means every single word.

Were Goro alone, he might've browsed works by famous, established food critics, and observe their writing techniques. Understanding their wordplay, and their love for fine cuisine, would improve his blog. It would also allow him to glean further insight into what truly mattered most to these people.

Except, as he observes Okumura-san pouring over those thick, vibrant cookbooks and giggling at each and every page, he can feel his heartbeat racing. He can also feel the blood rushing to his face, and he decides that he doesn't like this feeling. His entire body feels warm. Too warm. If that means he should keep his distance from Okumura-san, and if he should hold her at arm's length like everyone else...

"Akechi-kun!" Haru's holding up a book about pancakes and how to re-create their fluffy texture at home. "I think you should get this one."

"Yeah, probably," he finds himself agreeing as he holds the book with her, and tries to ignore again how easily their knuckles brush against each other. "Maybe we could get Boss to add it to Leblanc's menu."

As they chatter away about the merits of pancakes, and even the bitter, strong coffee at Leblanc, Akechi can't quite help rewriting his preconceived notions about Haru.

Perhaps the biggest mystery is how easily - and how quickly - Okumura-san's making him feel like he belongs somewhere.

**Author's Note:**

> This was initially based on a tumblr AU prompt, " _we showed up at a book club meeting but we’re the only people there who are not interested in Nicholas Sparks_ " but as you can see - it evolved into a short fic with a life of its own.
> 
> Truthfully, this was written partially to shake off some writing rust, but also partially because HaruGoro is my favorite rarepair, and the more fic, the merrier, right??


End file.
